Vehicles, such as pickup trucks, utilize vehicle accessories, such as plows fitted on the vehicles, for moving snow, dirt, sand, gravel, or other plowable materials. In certain cases, such as when the vehicle is to be used for purposes other than plowing, a vehicle owner may want to remove the plow from the vehicle. Conventional plow assemblies, such as snowplow assemblies, include a mechanism that allows attachment and detachment of the plow assembly to the vehicle.
Conventional detachable plow assemblies generally provide a mount frame for permanent attachment to a frame of the vehicle, a plow having a plow frame (e.g., an A-frame), and an actuator coupled between the mount frame and the plow frame for raising and lowering the plow. The mount frame and actuator attach to the front end of the vehicle, typically behind the vehicle's front bumper. The plow frame (e.g., the A-frame) of the plow includes a headgear assembly, or mounting portions, that attach to the mount frame and the actuator in a removable manner. For example, certain conventional headgear assemblies include a pin arrangement (e.g., a pair of retention pins) that couples the headgear assembly of the plow to the vehicle. In another example, certain conventional headgear assemblies include a latching mechanism having pair of spaced hooks pivotally coupled to the headgear assembly. The latching mechanism of the headgear assembly engages and couples to the mount frame of a vehicle. Such attachment arrangements allow a user to attach the plow to a vehicle and remove the plow from the vehicle when not in use.
When a user detaches the plow from the vehicle, typically, the user stores the plow in a manner that minimizes or prevents unauthorized use or theft of the plow. For example, the user can store the plow in a garage or other enclosed, secure location to limit access to the plow. In another example, the user can store the plow in an open (e.g., outdoor) location and secure the plow by chaining and locking the plow to a relatively large object, such as a tree.